Carlos Prates has admitted he expects to get “smashed” by Islam Makhachev for periods of their fight, should they clash over the UFC welterweight title – but he believes he will ultimately knock out the Russian.
Prates is seen as the likeliest contender to face Makhachev next, given he is 7-1 in the UFC with seven knockout wins, including stoppages of former champions Jack Della Maddalena and Leon Edwards.
Makhachev last fought in August, outpointing Ian Machado Garry, the only man to beat Prates in the UFC. With that win, the 34-year-old Russian confirmed his status as the UFC’s pound-for-pound No 1 fighter.
Still, Prates is confident that Makhachev would suffer the same fate as so many others, if he fought the Brazilian, 33.
“You look at [Anderson Silva’s] fight with Chael Sonnen,” Prates told compatriot Gilbert Burns, a former title challenger. “Chael Sonnen got the mount in the first round; in the second, [Silva] went out there and knocked the guy out.
“And that’s what I think is going to happen. I think I’m going to start by getting smashed, and the first time I manage to get back to my feet and start hurting him, I’m going to knock him out – somewhere around the fourth or fifth round.
“If [Machado Garry] was able to get Makhachev off his back, I can do it, too. I became even more confident. Based on the things I saw and the amount of time we have to train, I was like: ‘F***, I think we can do this.’ I already thought so, and now I saw Ian Garry defend certain positions the same way I do – like the back against the cage, I do that a lot.
“I saw someone saying that [Makhachev] made an adjustment, because [Machado Garry] is very tall and it’s difficult for Makhachev to get his hooks in, and that defence [Machado Garry] used, I do that every fight. I did it several times against Ian, but he would sit down and try to take my back.
“I already do everything standing, so there’s no danger of losing the position. I was like: ‘Man, I think this guy is going to be in trouble, when I get my hands on him.’ […] I’m very confident that I’m going to bring that belt home.”
Prates last fought in May, stopping Della Maddalena in round three after dominating the former champion. That victory came six months after he knocked out Edwards in round two.
Prates and Michael Morales are seen as the likeliest options for Makhachev’s next opponent, as he seeks a second defence of the welterweight belt, having won it in November by dominating Della Maddalena.
Makhachev did so after giving up the lightweight belt earlier in 2025, after achieving a record-breaking four successful title defences.
